Elevated monorail construction.



H. H. ELLZEY. ELEVATED MONORAIL GONSTRUGTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1910. 1,004,759, Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

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cuLuMulA PLANOGRAPH CID-,WASHINUTON. D. c.

H. H. ELLZEY. ELEVATED MONOBAIL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1910.

Patented 0011.3, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CUuWASHXNGTON. D. c.

HENRY H. ELLZEY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

ELEVATED MONORAIL CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Application filed. January 8, 1910. Serial No. 537,081.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. ELLZEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevated Monorail Construction, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to elevated railway structures, and more particularly to elevated railways of the'monorail type. The purpose of my invention is, broadly, to provide an elevated single rail structure which shall be simple and comparatively cheap in construction, and which shall, at the same time, possess the rigidity and stability necessary to meet the practical requirements of modern trafiic conditions.

Vith the above purpose in view, my in vention has more specifically for its objects to provide an improved means for supporting the main rail upon a single series of posts; to provide an improved means for holding the guide rails in position; to provide a cheap and efficient construction of such guide rails; to provide means for adjusting the main rail vertically, and the guide rail laterally; and to improve generally upon the details of construction of the track, and truck.

.To these ends the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved track structure with a car in position thereon; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved truck; Fig. 3 is a complete side elevation on a reduced scale of my improved track showing a car in position thereon; Fig. 4 is a perspective view 011 an enlarged scale showing a section of one of my inproved post caps hereinafter described; Fig.5 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale through the main rail, supporting beams and cap, the post being shown in elevation; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the guide rails and connectors, the post and hangers being shown in section substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the connectors; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a fragment of my improved guide rail.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my improved monorail structure comprises a series of supporting posts 1 set firmly into the ground. These posts may be formed of wood, metal or concrete, and may be of any desired or necessary size and height. The

height will of course vary in accordance with the elevation of the ground into which the posts are set.

In order to support the main rail and maintain it rigidly in position, I provide at the top of each post a cap or clamp. This cap is split vertically into two sections 2 and 2, one of which is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Around the meeting edges of the two sections I provide side flanges 3, having holes 5 formed therein for the reception of bolts, by means of which the two halves of the cap may be clamped together. In order to obviate any possibility of these caps slipping upward on the posts, I preferably form the upper ends of such posts with a slight taper downward so that the lower end of the cap, when the bolt is tightened up, will be of slightly smaller diameter than the upper end of the posts. This construction is clearly-shown in Fig. 5.

Extending across the top of each cap section in adirection parallel with the main rail is a vertically projecting flange 4, which preferably oins the side flanges 3, as shown in Fig. 4. This flange is preferably wider, however, than the side flanges, and has formed on its outer face two or more lugs or pins 6, the purpose of which will now be described.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 5 it will be seen that on top of the cap 2 I arrange a pair of blocks or beams 10, 10', preferably made of wood or other fibrous and more or less yielding material. The inner faces of these blocks or beams are scored for the re ception of the flanges 4, and are provided with recesses into which the lugs 6 may fit. Two or more bolts 11 pass through the beams 10, 10 at either side of the post and clamp them together, thus pressing the lugs 6 into the recesses in the blocks, and firmly securing such blocks in position on the cap. Moreover, it will be noted that the bolts 11 press the blocks 10, 10 together against the flanges 4 and thus assist in holding the two sections of the cap together and in causing it to firmly grip the post. I Vhile I have shown these beams 10, 10 in Fig. 3 as extending only a short distance on either side of the posts, it will, of course, be understood that I may, if desired, form such beams continuous and extending'from post to post.

In order to cushion the cap, and also in order to adjust the same vertically relative to the post, I may interpose between such cap and post some suitable fibrous packing material such as indicated at 9 in Fig. 5.

12 designates the main rail, which is approximately of the section shown in Fig. 5, and which rests upon the top of the beams 10, 10. It may be secured in position by means of bolts or spikes 13 which further serve the purpose of assisting to hold the beams 10, 10 together. It will be noted that this rail is of the deep girder type, and may be made of sufficient strength to sustain the weight of the car between posts.

In order to support the guide rails at the sides of the posts, I provide hangers 6, one of which is secured to each cap section 2 as by means of rivets 7, as shown in Figs. at and 5. The lower end ofeach of these hangers is enlarged or thickened, and is provided with a square-faced notch 8 adapted to engage the edge of the guide rails as hereinafter described.

My improved guide rail is preferably formed of sheet metal and consists, as shown in Fig. 9, of a tubular body 14, having an.

open slot and a pair of projecting flanges 15 along one side thereof.

In order to lock the two guide rails together without the use of bolts or other detachable fastening devices, I provide the peculiar form of bridle rod or connector, shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. Each of these connectors comprises a body portion 16, of about the proportions shown, having a cylindrical head 17 formed at each end there of. This head is joined to the body portion by means of a neck 18, and over-lying such neck is a pair of lugs 19, all preferably formed integral with each other. In assembling the track, these connectors are driven longitudinally into the ends of the pair of guide rails in such a manner that the head 17 fits within the tubular body of the rail, while the neck 18 extends through the slot and the lugs 19 grip the flanges 15 of the rail, as shown in Fig. 7, in such manner that the connectors are held rigidly in position by friction, and the rails absolutely maintained in their proper spaced relation.

In order to provide for supporting the ends of two adjacent rail sections at a joint, I may extend the cylindrical head of some of the connectors as shown at 17 in Fig. 8. This extended head serves as a core to support the joint, as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to aline the guide rails and to adjust them slightly laterally, I provide wedges 20, adapted to be driven in between the p081; and the lower ends of the hangers 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, such wedges preferably being shaped at their base to con-' form to the curve of the post, as shown in Fig. 6.

The cars, as indicated at 21, may be of any suitable or desired type, but are preferably provided with front and rear pivoted bogie trucks. Each of these trucks, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, comprises deep transverse beams 22 of substantially the width of the car and longitudinally extending side beams 23, connecting the same. The car body is supported at the center of each of said trucks on the usual king pin, and is prevented from excessive lateral rocking by means of side bearings 24, supported on leaf springs 25. Each truck carries two main wheels 26, each provided with a grooved periphery adapted to fit the head of the rail 12. These wheels are journaled in boxes 27, suitably supported between longitudinal beams 28.

Extending downwardly from the truck frame on each side and rigidly secured thereto is a triangular frame adapted to support the guide rollers. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each of these frames comprises a vertically extending member 29 and a diagonally extending member 29, the third side of the triangle being formed by a portion of the transverse beam 22 of the truck. These members are preferably in the shape of T-irons.

32 designates the guide rollers, which are preferably smooth and of a length equal to several times their diameter, in order [LO allow for vertical play. These rollers are mounted in journals 31 secured to the triangular frame or bracket above described, at its lower apex. It will be understood that each truck is provided on each side with two of such triangular brackets, and with two of such rollers, and the front and rear brackets are connected at their lower ends by a T-iron 30, in order to impart rigidity to the structure.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a monorail system which is exceedingly strong and simple in construction and which is designed to meet the most exacting requirements, and it is believed that the numerous advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in such matters.

lVhat I claim is 2- 1. I11 an elevated railway structure, a series of posts, and a split cap fitted to the top of each post, part of the post within the cap tapering slightly downwardly, where by upward movement of the cap is prevented.

2. In an elevated railway structure, a se' ries of posts, a cap fitting the upper end of each post, such cap comprising two sections provided with flanges and adapted to be bolted together, a beam resting on said cap on each side of said flanges, bolts securing said beams together and a rail supported on said beams.

3. In an elevated railway structure, a series of posts, a cap fitting the upper end of each post, such cap being split vertically into halves, and said halves each having a flange all around their meeting edges, bolts passing through said flanges at the sides of the cap, a beam resting on top. of the cap on each side of the flange, bolts passing through said beams and tending to secure said flanges together, and a rail supported 011 said beams.

a. In an elevated railway structure, a series of posts, rail supporting caps fitting the tops of said posts and means for vertically adjusting said caps relative to said posts.

5. In an elevated railway structure, a se ries of posts, rail supporting caps fitted to the ends of said posts, means for vertically adjusting said caps relative to said posts, and means for rigidly clamping said caps in any adjusted. position.

6. In an elevated railway structure, a series of posts, caps fitted on said posts, a main rail supported on said caps, hangers secured to and depending below said caps, and guide rails supported by said hangers, one at each side of said posts.

7. In an elevated railway structure, a series of posts, a main rail supported on top of said posts, independent guide rails arranged one at each side of said posts, means carried by said posts for supporting said guide rails, and means separate from said posts for securing said guide rails together.

8. In an elevated railway structure, a series of posts, a main rail carried thereby, guide rails, a pair of hangers associated with each post for supporting said guide rails, and ties or connectors secured to said rails at points between the posts.

9. In an elevated railway structure, a series of posts, a main rail supported at the tops thereof, guide rails supported at the sides of said posts, and means for adjusting said guide rails laterally.

10. In an elevated monorail structure, a series of posts, apair'of guide rails supported thereby, and arranged to withstand a lateral thrust, and rigid connectors joining said rails and serving to maintain them in their proper spaced relation.

11. In an elevated monorail structure, a main rail and guide rails, said guide rails being tubular in form, and connectors provided with cylindrical heads adapted to fit into said tubular rails.

12. In an elevated monorail structure, the combination with a main rail, of a pair of tubular guide rails, each of said rails having a pair of flanges at one side thereof, and bridle rods each provided at each end with a cylindrical head adapted to enter one of said tubular rails, and with lugs adapted to embrace the flanges thereof.

18. In an elevated monorail structure, a main rail, a pair of guide rails, each guide rail being constructed of sheet metal bent to form a tubular body having a slot at one side thereof, and flanges adjacent such slot, and connectors for such guide rails, each of said connectors having a cylindrical head fitting in the tubular body of a rail, a neck extending through the slot therein, and lugs adjacent the neck adapted to engage the said flanges, and maintain the parts in position.

14. In an elevated monorail structure, a series of posts, a main rail supported thereby, a pair of guide rails disposed adjacent the sides of said posts, hangers engaging the inner edges of said guide rails and serving to support the same, and bridle rods or connectors extending between and engaging said rails, and serving to maintain them in their proper spaced relation.

15. In a railway structure, a pair of tubular rails and connectors extending between the same and provided at each end with a cylindrical head adapted to fit within such tubular rails, one of said cylindrical heads being extended to one side of the connector, such extended head serving as a core to support the meeting ends of two rail sections at a joint.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. ELLZEY.

Witnesses:

Jos. H. BLAoKwooD, J. HANSON BOYDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

